or

Sign in with lockrMail

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle first forged their friendship with Ian Wace in 2018.

Oct. 13 2026, Published 3:40 p.m. ET

The mystery surrounding how Prince Harry and Meghan Markle became so chummy with a much older British billionaire who has reportedly been letting them live at his sprawling country estate has finally been cracked, RadarOnline.com can reveal.

The Sussexes became tight with 63-year-old hedge fund founder Ian Wace while they were still working royals and had a scare in the air aboard his private jet that left the trio "bonded," royal expert Tom Sykes reported.

Article continues below advertisement

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were newlyweds when they reportedly flew to Amsterdam with Ian Wace.

Sykes noted that Wace is "a friend of the King" who has "contributed to his causes," referring to Harry's father, King Charles III, which makes it all the more curious that he would shelter the monarch's estranged son and daughter-in-law at his Rowler Manor estate in Northamptonshire, which The Royalist podcast host pointed out is not actually in the Cotswolds.

"The mystery of the connection between Harry, Meghan, and their billionaire host can finally be revealed, and it is a lightning strike on a private jet," Sykes shared on his Monday, October 12, episode after learning the information from a "very reliable source."

Article continues below advertisement

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle reportedly got to know Ian Wace through England's Soho Farmhouse.

Harry, 42, and Markle, 45, reportedly hopped aboard Wace's luxurious Dassault Falcon 7X private jet in September 2018, joining the billionaire and his now-ex-wife, model Saffron Aldridge, for a star-studded getaway to Amsterdam's Soho House. The foursome headed to an exclusive bash at the newly opened outpost to celebrate founder Nick Jones' 55th birthday.

The Sussexes apparently got to know Wace after spending time in the Cotswolds, including Soho Farmhouse, following their May 2018 wedding, but a harrowing mid-air terror brought them much closer together.

"It was a terrifying incident. Apparently, the plane wasn't damaged, but it freaked everybody out, and they became firm and fast friends ever since," Sykes shared about the bond over the in-flight fright.

He revealed that the plane safely landed in the Netherlands but was grounded for a week as a precaution, and the group later flew back to England on a different jet.

Article continues below advertisement

Article continues below advertisement

Meghan Markle shared a video of her children cruising down a carriage path.

Sykes said he believes that Wace's massive 700-plus-acre private country estate is where the Sussexes have reportedly been residing because "Meghan has done so much to identify where they are staying," including sharing a new Instagram video seemingly from the sprawling property on Sunday, October 11.

"The estate is visible from space. I mean, these are very obvious landmarks," Sykes pointed out, referring to aerial and satellite images showing the property's distinctive bridge beside a trout pond where Harry was seen fishing with his children in Markle's September 13 social media photo and video .

Meghan Markle shared photos and video of Harry fishing with his kids in front of an easily identifiable landmark on Ian Wace's UK estate.

"It's just ridiculous for me to not be naming it when they are doing everything possible to identify it," Sykes said.

The podcaster noted he wasn't sure if Harry and Markle were paying rent or being allowed to stay there with their 2 children, Archie, 7, and Lilibet, 5, for free.